To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2012, British Airways has been participating at events both in the UK and across the world alike. In Windsor, UK, British Airways invited guests to attend the prestigious Diamond Jubilee Pageant and in Shanghai, China, British Airways organised a ‘pop-up’ tea party with a special ‘guest’ look-a-like Queen.
British Airways has also opened its archives to reveal the long-standing history between the airline and the British Royal Family. The Queen’s association with British Airways began in 1947 when Her Majesty, then Princess Elizabeth, visited London Airport to christen an Avro Tudor aircraft for BOAC (a predecessor of British Airways). Since that day, The Queen and the Royal Family have regularly chosen British Airways to fly them in comfort and safety during their international tours.
On Monday 19 February 1979 the Queen flew on Concorde from snowy Heathrow to the sunshine of Kuwait in just under four hours, at the start of a three-week Middle East tour that would include Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
The Queen’s Private Secretary later wrote to Ross Stainton, BA’s Chief Executive to see how the Queen was especially glad to make her visit to Saudi Arabia by Concorde. Apart from making the first day of the tour very much easier for Her Majesty, this wonderful aircraft created a great impression, and there could have been no better way of commencing a most important tour covering seven countries.
One of British Airways’ fleet of 747s is now featuring a special emblem to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and customers travelling on flights arriving into London over the Jubilee weekend (June 2-5) will hear British Airways captains making congratulatory announcements to mark the occasion.
In British Airways’ Heathrow lounges, customers will be offered a regal afternoon tea, including a selection of traditional British sandwiches, sweet treats and a special Jubilee blend of tea from Twinings. Premium customers in the Business and Concorde lounges will be invited to raise a glass to toast Her Majesty with a cocktail, ‘Pimms Royale.’
For those looking for some pre-flight pampering, there’s also a selection of Jubilee treatments at the Terminal 5 Elemis Spa exclusively for British Airways’ First, Club World and Gold Executive Club members. These customers will be able to choose from four ‘Royal Therapies’ and massage treatments, including Royal Rose facials, hand treatments and musclease foot and body workouts.
For more than 93 years, British Airways has delivered a premium service with classic British elegance to millions of customers around the globe.
